Dr. Abd El Halim

"You will see the difference in the severity of damage -- you will find potholes that are bigger and deeper," said Abd El Halim, professor at Carleton's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering."Instead of having two small potholes, they will connect together and become one."

Mr. Halim said the longer winter, cold temperatures and heavy snow this year contributed to the increased number and size of potholes.

And this evening, the Ottawa area creeps closer to setting an all-time snowfall mark.
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The full extent of the damage to Ottawa roads from the longer stretch of cold temperatures and heavy snow won't be known until spring fully hits, Mr. Halim said.

Dr. Abd El Halim is currently the Chair of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and a tenured Professor at Carleton University.He has been the Director of the Centre for Geosynthetics Research Information and Development, C-GRID since 1987.Professor Abd El Halim is the inventor of the asphalt roller AMIR that has revolutionised the field of pavement construction.During the past 18 years at Carleton, Professor Halim has established Carleton University as an international leading research centre in the fields of transportation engineering, asphalt pavements, and the use of Geosynthetics in civil engineering applications.His research has generated more than $3.5 million in grants and research contracts from Canadian, American, Australian and Egyptian clients.He is the author or co-author of more than 270 Journal/Conference papers and technical reports.

Dr. Abd El Halim is currently the Chair of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and a tenured Professor at Carleton University.He has been the Director of the Centre for Geosynthetics Research Information and Development, C-GRID since 1987.Professor Abd El Halim is the inventor of the asphalt roller AMIR that has revolutionised the field of pavement construction.During the past 18 years at Carleton, Professor Halim has established Carleton University as an international leading research centre in the fields of transportation engineering, asphalt pavements, and the use of Geosynthetics in civil engineering applications.His research has generated more than $3.5 million in grants and research contracts from Canadian, American, Australian and Egyptian clients.He is the author or co-author of more than 270 Journal/Conference papers and technical reports.

[Dr. Abd El Halim / Civil Engineering, Carleton Univ.]
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[Halim] Don't forget climate in Quebec is more harsh than it is in Ontario.

Dr. Abd El HalimDr. Abd El Halim is currently the Chair of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and a tenured Professor at Carleton University.He has been the Director of the Centre for Geosynthetics Research Information and Development, C-GRID since 1987.Professor Abd El Halim is the inventor of the asphalt roller AMIR that has revolutionised the field of pavement construction.During the past 18 years at Carleton, Professor Halim has established Carleton University as an international leading research centre in the fields of transportation engineering, asphalt pavements, and the use of Geosynthetics in civil engineering applications.His research has generated more than $3.5 million in grants and research contracts from Canadian, American, Australian and Egyptian clients.He is the author or co-author of more than 270 Journal/Conference papers and technical reports.He is a well known keynote speaker, reviewer, and the member of several important committees having been named the 1999 Top Newsmaker by the USA magazine, Engineering News Record.He also won the NOVA award by the Construction Innovation Forum, the Nobel prize for construction innovation, making him the first civil engineer to receive both awards in the same year.In recognition of his achievements, Professor El Halim was elected a Fellow to the CSCE in 1998.

Abd El Halim, chair of Carleton's civil engineering department, is examining how to improve road conditions by looking at the materials used in their construction.

"We have neglected our roads for a long period of time," Dr. Abd El Halim, chair of civil and environmental engineering at Carleton University and an expert on urban sinkholes.
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Halim points the finger at Toronto's maintenance program.The city of Toronto has a $300 million backlog of projects it simply can't get to in any given year, because it doesn't have the money.Compared to other regions in the area, Toronto tends to have a much older infrastructure making it more vulnerable.

"In Toronto it's all catch-up," says Halim."Things are being pushed back.A lack of funds results in these kinds of situations.You can only look at intersections 1-2-3.Maybe No. 5 was the problem."

Halim said sinkholes are like earthquakes: you know they will happen, you just don't know where, when or how big.

Abd El-Halim, Chair, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carleton University